A Tale of Two Hygienists Podcast

In this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave sit down with Camille Zenobia to explore the growing science behind the oral microbiome and its connection to overall health.

What We Talked About

How the oral microbiome influences overall health

The emerging research that excites Camille most

Helping patients understand the oral-systemic connection

The role of diagnostics and modern hygiene care

Where the field of oral health may be heading over the next decade

Call to Action

Explore Camille Zenobia's work and connect with her on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillezenobia/

Stay curious about the science behind the oral-systemic connection, and continue bringing evidence-based conversations into everyday patient care.

Contact the Hosts

Jessica Atkinson: [email protected]

Dave Torres: [email protected]

JoAnn Gurenlian returns to explore two essential parts of the dental hygiene process of care: evaluation and documentation. What may feel like routine clinical responsibilities can have a lasting impact on patient safety, continuity of care, professional accountability, and risk management.

Jessica, Dave, and JoAnn discuss how thoughtful evaluation and accurate documentation can strengthen clinical decision-making, support treatment modifications, and help dental hygienists deliver high-quality, patient-centered care.

What We Talked About

The role of evaluation within the dental hygiene process of care

Why documentation is far more than a legal requirement

Common documentation mistakes and how to avoid them

How documentation supports continuity of care and patient outcomes

The relationship between evaluation, critical thinking, and treatment modification

Risk management and provider protection through accurate records

Documentation best practices for today's dental hygienist

How educators can better prepare students for real-world documentation expectations

Call to Action

Take a fresh look at your documentation and evaluation process. Ask yourself whether your records clearly communicate what you assessed, what you found, how the patient responded, and why clinical decisions were made. Strong documentation is more than recordkeeping—it is part of quality patient care.

Resources and Links

JoAnn Gurenlian on LinkedIn

Contact the Hosts

Jessica Atkinson: [email protected]

Dave Torres: [email protected]

In this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave explore what happens after assessment and diagnosis: turning clinical findings into meaningful, individualized care. Karen Palleschi and Jennifer Pieren discuss how dental hygienists can use critical thinking, clinical judgment, and the ADHA Standards of Care to create person-centered plans that reflect each patient's needs, values, risks, and goals.

What We Talked About:

Translating assessment findings into meaningful dental hygiene diagnoses

Building individualized, person-centered care plans instead of "one-size-fits-all" treatment

The role of critical thinking and clinical judgment in implementation

How the ADHA Standards of Care support consistency, accountability, and professional autonomy.

Patient communication, shared decision-making, and behavior change

Challenges clinicians and students face when moving from diagnosis to implementation

Adapting care plans based on patient needs, values, risks, and outcomes

Call to Action:

Providers, take a closer look at how you move from diagnosis to action. Consider whether your care plans truly reflect each patient's individual needs, priorities, risks, and goals. Look for opportunities to involve patients more fully in decisions about their care.

Contact guest via:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-pieren-476804a1/

Instagram: @prof_jennifer_rdh

ADHA Standards

Contact the Hosts

Jessica Atkinson: [email protected]

Dave Torres: [email protected]

Assessment and diagnosis are at the heart of patient-centered dental hygiene care. In this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists, Jessica and Dave are joined by JoAnn Gurenlian, Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, and Darlene Swigart to explore how dental hygienists can move beyond simply collecting patient data to interpreting findings, developing accurate dental hygiene diagnoses, and making informed clinical decisions.

The conversation examines the critical-thinking skills needed to connect assessment findings to treatment planning, documentation, and improved patient outcomes while also considering the future of dental hygiene diagnosis and professional autonomy.

What We Talked About

The distinction between assessment and diagnosis

Why diagnosis is an essential component of the dental hygiene process of care

Common challenges clinicians face when interpreting assessment findings

The role of critical thinking in moving from collected data to clinical decisions

How assessment and diagnosis influence treatment planning and patient outcomes

Documentation considerations related to assessment and diagnosis

Strategies for teaching diagnostic reasoning to students

The future of dental hygiene diagnosis and professional autonomy

Call to Action

The next time you complete a patient assessment, pause before moving directly to treatment. Ask yourself what the findings mean, how they connect, and what they tell you about your patient's individual needs. Use that clinical reasoning to strengthen your dental hygiene diagnosis, treatment planning, documentation, and patient care.

Resources and Links

Darlene Swigart on LinkedIn

Ann Eshenaur Spolarich on LinkedIn

JoAnn Gurenlian on LinkedIn

Swigart, DJ, Gurenlian, J. Bringing Social Determinants of Health into the Dental Hygiene Diagnosis. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. 2026;24(1):32-35.

Swigart, DJ, Gurenlian, J, McCracken, A. Integrating Social Determinants of Health Screening in Student Dental Hygiene Clinical Practice. J Dent Hyg. 2025;9(6):52-63.

Swigart, DJ, Gurenlian, JR, Rogo, EJ. Dental Hygiene Diagnosis: A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Dental Hygienists. Can J Dent Hyg. 2020;54(3):113-123.

Gurenlian, JR, Swigart, DJ. Dental Hygiene Diagnosis: The Link Between Assessment and Care. Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. 2018;16(12):36-39.

Gurenlian, JR, Sanderson, TR, Garland, K, Swigart, DJ. Exploring the Integration of the Dental Hygiene Diagnosis in Entry-Level Dental Hygiene Curricula. J Dent Hyg. 2018;92(4):18-26.

Contact the Hosts

Jessica Atkinson: [email protected]

Dave Torres: [email protected]

JoAnn Gurenlian joins Jessica and Dave for a practical conversation about the purpose, evolution, and everyday importance of the Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice.

From understanding the difference between standards of care and scope of practice to applying professional standards in real-world clinical situations, this episode explores how standards can help dental hygienists strengthen clinical judgment, documentation, ethical decision-making, and patient outcomes.

What We Talked About

The purpose and evolution of the Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice

Why standards of care matter for every dental hygienist, regardless of practice setting

Common misconceptions about standards and scope of practice

How standards support clinical judgment, documentation, and patient outcomes

The relationship between standards, ethics, and professional accountability

How educators can help students move beyond memorization to implementation

Practical ways clinicians can incorporate the standards into everyday patient care

The future of standards and what dental hygienists need to understand moving forward

Call to Action

Take a fresh look at the Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice and consider how they apply to your own clinical decision-making, documentation, patient care, and professional responsibilities. Whether you are a student, educator, or practicing dental hygienist, use the standards as a framework for putting evidence, ethics, and professional judgment into action.

Resources and Links

JoAnn Gurenlian on LinkedIn

ADHA Standards for Clinical Dental Hygiene Practice — Process of Care

AAP Staging and Grading Periodontitis Chairside Guide — Periodontal evaluation

Dental Hygiene: Theory and Practice by Darby & Walsh

ADA CDT Codes

Guest Contact: [email protected]

Co-host Contacts: [email protected] | [email protected]

Every patient who sits in our chair brings more than just a mouth with them. Hormones, bone health, medications, and life stage can all influence what we see clinically.

In this episode, Jessica and Dave explore the connection between hormonal changes, bone health, and oral health—and why dental hygienists play an important role in recognizing the clues, starting conversations, and helping patients get the care they need.

What We Talked About:

How hormones and bone health influence oral health throughout a patient's lifetime

What clinicians may notice during puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause, and beyond

Oral signs that may point to broader systemic or bone-health concerns

Why early screening can impact long-term health outcomes

Red flags and risk factors for premature bone loss and poor bone quality

How to discuss osteoporosis, bone density, and medications with patients

How to approach sensitive conversations with compassion and confidence

Three practical things every hygienist can start doing tomorrow

The Big Takeaway

The mouth can provide important clues about what is happening throughout the body. Understanding the connections between hormones, bone health, and oral health can help clinicians recognize risks earlier and provide more informed, whole-patient care.

Contact the guest:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-evans-bs-mcl-rdh-thephrdh

Website: https://kristinevansrdh.wixsite.com/my-site-2

Jessica and Dave welcome Dr. Pamela Ray to discuss how hygienists can improve periodontal communication, help patients take ownership of their disease, and guide them toward informed decisions about their health.

This episode was brought to you by our friends at Net32.

What We Talked About:

Overcoming barriers to periodontal treatment acceptance.

Using the oral-systemic connection to motivate patients.

Effective language and communication strategies.

Strengthening communication with periodontists, physicians, and referral sources.

Handling patients who delay or decline treatment.

Practical tips for creating meaningful conversations that lead to action.

Call to Action:

Find your passion while practicing patient care.

Guest: Dr. Pamela Ray — [email protected]

Hosts: Jessica and Dave — [email protected] | [email protected]

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) affect millions of patients, yet they remain widely misunderstood.

In this episode, Jessica and Dave explore a new way of thinking about TMD with Dr. Anthony Urbanek. After 36 years of performing TMJ surgery, Dr. Urbanek stopped and began researching the disease to better understand its causes and develop a nonsurgical approach.

What We Talked About:

Why the traditional TMD treatment paradigm needs to change

Common myths and misconceptions about TMD

The connection between occlusion, muscles, joints, inflammation, and symptoms

Why hygienists can be the first line of defense in TMD screening

Early recognition and practical screening strategies

Conservative, evidence-based approaches to TMD management

Helping patients understand their condition and treatment options

Where TMD research and treatment are headed

The big takeaway: The old paradigm treats symptoms. The new paradigm starts by understanding the disease.

Resources:

www.urbanektmj.com

https://www.dentalproductsreport.com/view/urbanek-tmj-device-is-designed-to-relieve-the-inflammation-that-causes-temporomandibular-disorder

https://www.dentaleconomics.com/science-tech/article/14299097/taking-the-bite-out-of-tmd

https://hub.dentalentrepreneur.com/podcasts/the-future-of-dentistry/episodes/2148166983

Contact Guest:

[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/TMJServicesofBrentwood

https://www.instagram.com/TMJServicesofBrentwood/

Contact the Hosts:

Jessica Atkinson: [email protected]

Dave Torres: [email protected]

In this tipisode, Amanda Hill - RDH explores the importance of biology-driven home care recommendations and why a one-size-fits-all approach may not meet every patient's needs.

From chronic inflammation and acute healing to xerostomia and remineralization, Amanda discusses how hygienists can match home care products to each patient's unique biology. She highlights the important role of saliva in oral health and shares strategies for supporting patients during the many months between dental hygiene visits.

The takeaway: Assess first, choose products second, and build a home care protocol around what the patient's biology actually needs.

Download the free Perio Protect and Periosciences treatment protocol for guidance on what to use, when to use it, and how to layer therapies.

Orthodontic treatment can make oral hygiene more challenging, with brackets and aligner attachments creating areas where biofilm can accumulate and contribute to demineralization and white spot lesions.

This episode was brought to you by our friends at Solventum.

In this episode, Jessica Atkinson and Dave Torres discuss the role of fluoride in orthodontic prevention and how Solventum™ Clinpro™ Clear can help protect enamel while fitting seamlessly into clinical workflows.

What We Talked About

Why brackets and aligner attachments make oral hygiene more difficult.

The impact of biofilm and demineralization during orthodontic treatment.

The role of fluoride in orthodontic prevention.

How Clinpro™ Clear can migrate around brackets and attachments to reach high-risk areas.

Its fast-acting, 15-minute eat-and-drink time.

Its self-contained design for simple chairside application.

How Clinpro™ Clear can support both patient experience and practice workflow.

Resources:

https://www.solventum.com/en-us/home/f/b5005503000/

https://s7d9.scene7.com/is/content/mmmspinco/clinpro-clear-brochure-ds-rps-enpdf

Contact the Hosts

Jessica Atkinson

[email protected]

Dave Torres

[email protected]